Dear readers, I’m known for three things: the vague scent of ham that follows me everywhere, my love for soup served piping hot in an old Aztec bowl carved from a human skull, and my unparalleled knack for investigative journalism. It’s this third thing that has led me down a dark and twisted road. For some time now, people have been asking me to take a look at the 2021 Chevy Trax vs 2021 Buick Encore, and, at long last, I have done so.
After much work, truly uncountable hours spent in research, and heavy drinking, I have come to a bold and decisive conclusion: the Trax and Encore are definitely not the same vehicles. That might seem obvious to the casual observer, but you’d be surprised how often observers fail to remain casual in this world. Oh no – all-too-often, you end up with a bunch of people, standing around and looking at something, all draped in fancy clothing: top hats and tails, long dresses and elbow-length gloves as far as the eye can see.
And so, I’ll now share my work and findings with you so that you, too, can come to appreciate just how staggeringly different these two vehicles are.
A Tale of Two Engines
Let’s kick this glorious comparison off with, perhaps, the most significant evidence of just how different the 2021 Chevy Trax and the 2021 Buick Encore really are: the engines. I think once you see what each of these vehicles has to offer, you’ll understand that they are definitely not the same vehicle at all, no, no – very different.
The 2021 Chevy Trax has one engine available, while by comparison, the 2021 Buick Encore only has one engine available. See? Already the differences are piling up. In the Trax, you get a 1.4L Turbo EcoTec 4-cylinder engine that provides up to 138 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque, which comes paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Now, this might not sound like much (and it’s not much), but with a compact SUV like the Trax, it’s fine. I mean, it’s probably fine. I don’t know – I’d never drive one.
Now, the 2021 Buick Encore has a much more impressive engine: it’s a 1.4L Turbo EcoTec 4-cylinder engine that provides up to 138 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque, which comes paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. See what I mean? It’s like night and day. I could just end this whole thing here (case closed!) and go watch Over the Garden Wall to really celebrate this lovely, autumnal season. But no, I’ll continue and show you just how stupid it would be to think these two vehicles are similar at all.
Maybe the similarities are just optical illusions? Is one a duck and one a rabbit? Are both concave and convex? Might one be an old crone, while another is a young woman? Am I high?
Completely Different Size and Interior Space
Now then, let’s have a look at the sizes, the dimensions, of these two vehicles to fully appreciate the staggering differences between them. I’m sure you’re already convinced, and you’ve closed the tab on this by now, moving on with your day to read something far more informative. But just in case you haven’t, know this: good for you for sticking with this. You’re my favorite.
The 2021 Chevy Trax measures about 167 inches in length, nearly 70 inches wide without the side mirrors, and about 65 inches tall. By comparison, the 2021 Buick Encore measures a staggering 168 inches in length, about 70 inches in width, and around 65 inches in height. Just look at those numbers. The Encore is a full inch longer! We might as well be comparing the North African swamp toad to the East Indian subterranean hippopotamus – it’s absurd! They’re just so different from one another.
Looking inside, in terms of the kind of space you get, the differences become even more pronounced. The Chevy Trax has room for 5 passengers with 92.8 cu.ft. of total passenger space, while the Buick Encore has seating for 5 passengers with 92.8 cu.ft. of total passenger volume. Not even close. Meanwhile, you get 18.7 cu.ft. of cargo volume behind the rear seats and a total of 48.4 cu.ft. of cargo volume behind the front seats in the Chevy Trax, while the Encore delivers a massive increase in space: 18.8 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the second row and 48.4 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front row.
If a roomy interior is important to you (and judging by some of the websites you visit – we have your cookies – it certainly is!), then you’ll want to choose the clear winner here. Need me to point it out to you? No, I didn’t think so. You can read numbers, and they speak for themselves.
Still confused? Don’t feel bad. Many people can’t tell the difference between these celebrity lookalikes!
All Sorts of Features – So Different!
Just in case the massive array of differences aren’t already abundantly clear, I’m going to present my final, most convincing argument now: interior features. I’ll stick to the standard trims to really keep this simple. The Chevy Trax LS has a 4-way manual driver’s seat and a 2-way manual front passenger seat. It comes with a 7-inch infotainment display, a 6-speaker audio system, and has a 3-inch digital driver information display. An 8-point digital compass, cloth seat trim, and manual day/night rearview mirror are all standard, really setting the stage for luxury and sophistication beyond our wildest dreams.
Now, by comparison, the 2021 Buick Encore’s starting trim features a 6-way power driver’s seat and a 2-way manual front passenger seat. See that? There’s a clear difference here! That driver’s seat is only an available option on the Trax LT trim – BOOM! The Buick comes with an 8-inch infotainment display and a 4-inch digital driver information display. It’s another clear and decisive victory for the Encore. Sure, it has a 6-speaker sound system standard, with cloth seating (though it has leatherette trim!), and a manual day/night rearview mirror, but it also has a compass display.
So, as I take a victory lap regarding just how different the Buick Encore is from the Chevy Trax, you can see that they might as well not even be made by the same company or use identical platforms – they’re so different! Wait, did I type that or just think it? I meant to say that they’re really super different, so different that the $2,000 difference between their MSRPs is absolutely justified and not at all riding on the fact that the “Buick” name is considered more luxurious overall than “Chevy.”
The Final Conclusion
The evidence really speaks for itself. Just like Clark Kent and Superman are clearly two different people, so too are the 2021 Chevy Trax and Buick Encore two completely different vehicles. Now, I admit, I’ve never actually seen a Trax and an Encore in the room together, but I’m sure that’s merely a coincidence. Not at all indicative that they’re the same vehicle and that one of them is just wearing a pair of smartly-made eyeglasses. Surely not…
Editor’s Note: We’re pretty sure we’ve seen a 2021 Chevy Trax and Buick Encore in the same room together, though we’d need to check some of the photos from last month’s company party. Considering the contents of those images, however, we’ve been advised by our lawyers not to do so and to simply publish this article without further evidence one way or another. Now we’re going to find those pictures and the office shredder for completely unrelated reasons. Thank you.
